Category: face

Buxom Divine Goddess Luminizer

This little baby hits Sephora shelves today and you don’t want to miss it. I’ve been trying out this face and body luminizer for a couple days and it is just what the doctor ordered for – let’s just say not-so-tan – winter skin. I’ve been using it as a highlighter, skin evener and leg shimmer, all to great success.

Buxom Divine Goddess Luminizer // Belle Belle Beauty

The cream is ultra-lightweight and blends easily to a sheer, not to “glittery” shimmer. Because it is so sheer and balanced between warm and cool, I expect it to work on most skin tones.

Buxom Divine Goddess Luminizer // Belle Belle Beauty

The cream has just a touch of a cooling sensation. And pretty darn good staying power. Would work great for on the legs during New Year’s festivities!

Available at Sephora today.

Five Tips for Holiday Makeup from Neutrogena

Amy Oresman, celebrity makeup artist from Neutrogena, shares some of her tips using for holiday makeup. I’ve been test driving these items too over the past couple of weeks and am also sharing my thoughts on these drugstore buys.

1. During the holidays when you’re running from one event to the next, your makeup can take a beating. To help you look picture perfect, it’s important to start with a good base. The Healthy Skin Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 15 instantly smoothes skin imperfections so makeup applies more evenly and lasts longer.

Editor’s note: I LOVE, I mean love, this primer. It evens skin just on its own while cooling and hydrating. I love the SPF (non-irritating at that). And there is no balling and sliding under makeup.

2. Between parties, shopping and cooking, the holidays can leave many women feeling and looking rundown, often showing up as bags and dark circles under the eyes. Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector is a do-it-all product that not only brightens and conceals but is clinically proven to de-puff and treat dark under eye circles. Formulated with optical eye brighteners, this silky formula instantly boosts radiance and lightens shadows around the eye area, leaving skin looking refreshed and more even-toned, so you’re close-up ready!

Editor’s note: I’ve had one of these in the rotation for a couple months. This is not an illuminator pen – it really conceals with a radiant and moderate-coverage finish. I love using it around my eyes and down the sides of my nose.

3. Often times, the photo flash can make your look washed out. To really make your eyes pop, eyeliner is a girl’s best friend. Nourishing Eyeliner contains a specialized blend of light-reflecting pearls that help make the whites of eyes appear whiter, while the rich color instantly brightens and defines eyes. What’s more, the formula is enriched with skin-conditioning ingredients including olive oil, rainforest shea butter and Vitamin E to help nourish the delicate skin at the base of the lashes.

Editor’s note: This creamy liner is easy to use and especially great for a smudgy look (there is a smudging sponge at the other end). I love the in-cap sharpener and addition of vitamins and conditioners for delicate skin. This sadly doesn’t work on a water-line, but could be great in conjunction with your favorite eye kohl (remember: layering liners makes them stay longer).

4. My must-have accessory for any holiday look is mascara! My personal preference is HEALTHY VOLUME® Mascara because it builds lash volume by 400% with the triple benefits of olive extract, Meadowfoam seed and sweet almond for fuller, more conditioned lashes. The exclusive super sized Visible Volume brush quickly coats and builds every single lash, without clumping, smudging or flaking, resulting in beautifully defined lashes that are conditioned from the inside out.

Editor’s note: This mascara not only conditions and improves your lashes, but boosts volume in a major way. The large brush is my preferred tool and adequately coats each last for more length and fullness. There is no dry, crispy feeling (hate when that happens).

5. No holiday look is complete without the perfect pout to round off the picture perfect look! Every woman wants soft, luxurious lips, but achieving them isn’t always so easy since many products can leave lips feeling dry, especially during the winter months. Revitalizing Lip Balm SPF 20 is formulated with with ion₂complex™ Technology that offers a surge of moisture and improves lips’ overall appearance. In just one week, this sheer tinted balm is clinically proven to improve the texture of lips while restoring lips’ rosiness.

Editor’s note: It is hard for me to not love a good balm. These did not disappoint They really are hydrating with a fruity flavor. I love “Sheer Shimmer” for an easy translucent lip and “Petal Glow” gives a subtle hint of rose, both leaving my lips super shiny.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE WAS PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Sophie from Angel Food Style

This past September, I met Sophie of Angle Food Style at New York Fashion Week and have been hooked on her fashion blog ever since. I love her fresh, classic and Southern California looks that always are so polished. I loved visiting Los Angeles when I lived in the Bay Area and her gorgous photos take me right back there. Doesn’t hurt that she is one of the most genuine and nicest women I have met in the blogging world. And loves Maltese puppies as much as I do (that is a saying A LOT).

Besides a perfectly polished outfit, I noticed Sophie’s makeup always looked natural and finished without being overdone…(not to mention her “hard to ignore” natural beauty). With our endless chats on Twitter and Instagram, I knew she was a girl after my own heart – a true beauty junkie. If we meet up again, you will find us in Sephora undoubtedly.

Angel Food Style on Belle Belle Beauty Two

So… I am so excited to have her on Belle Belle today to talk about her day-to-day look with a couple extra touches to make it holiday-ready. This everyday face has a “bit more oomph than the summer-appropriate mascara/bronzer/lip gloss situation”.

Here are the products Sophie is wearing:

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in shade 5.25 (can’t get enough)
Nars Bronzer in Laguna under cheekbones, on temples, chin
Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush in shade 10 “beige” on apples of cheeks
Giorgio Armani Eye Quad in Bourdoir– I mixed the 4 nude shades together and concentrated the darkest shade in the outer corner
Tarte Amazonian Clay Liner in Black on inside bottom waterline, Giorgio Armani Maestro Liquid Liner to line eyelids (I would die without this liquid liner- use it everyday)
Bare Escentuals Buxom Mascara in black
Anastasia Beverly Hills “Brow Wiz” pencil in Ash Blonde
Nars lip gloss in “sweet revenge”– the perfect nude/pink every day shade

Like me, Sophie is a huge Armani fan. Their foundation, we both agree, is a best of breed. Sophie points out their high quality, “especially in the shadows – the pigments are so luxe and last all day”. Anastasia is a great resource for brow tools – I love her clear brow gel. And I have a Sephora package en route with NARS Laguna – can’t wait to try one of her “staples”.

Make sure to follow Sophie on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!

Prescriptives Live Chat Custom Blend

One of my first memories of makeup is the iconic Presciptives counter. I loved the scientific look of the jars along with the familiar scent of Calyx. I was surprised in 2010 when the brand promptly shuttered their counters given so many people were devoted (note: the brand was still available online). In particular, people loved the custom blended foundation and powders. Turns out it was pretty expensive to have those highly trained master blenders at every counter.

After months of calls from distressed customers hankering for their custom blend, the brand launched a video chat to bring the service to a new generation of women. Last month, they officially launched Live Chat Custom Blend, offering “Color Printing” to customers everywhere there was an internet connection.

Always at the cutting edge, Presciptives now has the latest in digital innovation. I booked an appointment on prescriptives.com and pretty soon, Nikki and I were chatting face to face about what I wanted in a foundation. She asked me about current favorite brands and shades – and what I would change if I could about those formulas. We talked how my skin tended to behave (hello, redness). I uploaded photos of my bare face. I also sent over a shot of my bare face with my two favorite foundations striped on my cheek. She was able to tweak coverage, skin care elements, corrective color and desired finish.

While you can send back your initial recipie for correction, very few people require this step. I certainly didn’t. It might be hard for me to go back to any other brand (even my beloved Armani) because this matches my skin exactly. Exactly. Nikki’s formula for me was sheer, but buildable with a “breathable hyaluronic acid” for moisture and a touch of luminescence. And while I like powder, it wasn’t in the daily rotation – it is now. I love the perfectly toned finish and the way it sets my foundation and concealer. Nikki advised me on a touch bronzier shade of powder (which is almost undetectable) but it warms up my complexion beautifully.

And for those of you who already have your recipie, you are all set to go. Although the video chat is such a fun experience, you might want to do it anyway! And the site also has a ton of great “how to” videos here.

Still Christmas shopping? May I suggest a Prescriptives Gift Card?

images here, here, here and here

NARS The Multiple in Palm Beach

NARS Multiple Palm Beach on Belle Belle Beauty

François Nars was pretty genius coming up with “The Multiple” – the original multi-purpose stick for eyes, cheeks, lips and body. The cream to powder formula is perfectly sheer, transforming skin to bronze, golden, peach or shimmer.

Right now I am all gaga over The Multiple in Palm Beach. I love using it as a bronzer/contour below my cheekbones and on my temples. I swipe a little on my lids for a bronzy red wash of color. And a little on the lips for a tint. Perfect for easy weekend wear. And all just with your fingers! There is also a little skin care bonus: The Multiple is enriched with Vitamin E and açai oil for antioxidant benefit.

Advanced Mineral Makeup

I used to think mineral makeup was chalky and heavy feeling. Now I know better… with one of my all time favorite foundations being bareMinerals READY SPF 20 Foundation. For those wanting a more glowy, liquid option, look no further than Advanced Mineral Makeup.

Advanced Mineral Makeup is a 100% natural mineral makeup line created by Annie Mayo. With its lightweight and high definition properties, the foundation has been a hit on the set of NCIS and Grey’s Anatomy. If it is good enough for them, then I had to try it.

I’ve been using the liquid foundation in Ginger Snap for a couple weeks. What has me most pleased is the way the foundation lets my skin breathe. While the formula is oil free, my dry skin doesn’t feel dehydrated. I’m plagued by redness and the anti-inflammatory properties help calm down angry skin. Not to mention the foundation is free of talc, perfumes, parabens, dyes or preservatives, minimizing irritation.

I’ve been on a bit of a kick applying foundation with my fingers. Make sure to wash your hands. Apply a little on the back of your hand, pick up a little bit at a time with your fingers and work from the nose outward. This “hands-on” approach seems to allow for greater blending and a lighter application. The result is medium coverage with a glowy (but not shiny) finish. I’ve been wearing Chantecaille HD Perfecting Powder over the foundation and getting a full 8 hours of wear.

Note: this foundation is cruelty-free. Please see this post for other cruelty-free options.

You can buy Advanced Mineral Makeup on advancedmineralmakeup.com or click here for locations.